KINGMAN – Employees at Canyon 66 Restaurant and Lounge have again been stiffed on their paychecks after a change in management under bankruptcy receivership, one worker told the Daily Miner.

Marina Brown, a former server at Canyon 66, said she worked there until this week and was issued paychecks that can’t be cashed, including her tips.

Joel and Noble Zubaid, owners of the Ramada Inn and Canyon 66, filed for bankruptcy in Riverside, California, in March, and the business was placed under receivership with Advanced Management and Investment.

General Manager Sultan Abbas was retained by AMI to reopen the hotel and restaurant May 21, but he walked out on June 1 after learning that the Zubaid brothers were back in business, and receivership had changed to Tristar Hotel Group of Scottsdale.

Receivership is a process in which a legally appointed receiver acts as custodian of a company’s assets or business operations, typically with bankruptcies. A bankruptcy court, creditor or governing body may appoint a receiver.

“In case the new management told you they are not hired by Zubaids and the Zubaids are out of the picture, then they are totally lying,” Abbas said in an email to the Daily Miner. “That’s the only reason why I quit. These people shouldn’t be working in Kingman after all they did to us. I’d rather be homeless than work for their benefit in any way.”

Calls to AMI and Tristar were not returned.

Brown said AMI was “really great, really professional,” but things changed when Tristar took over in June. They wrecked the place, she said.

“I was under the impression that we were not under Joel and Noble Zubaid,” Brown said Thursday. “I didn’t walk out. A few of us stayed and planned on working. Now Tristar (Hotel Group) management is there. We found out yesterday we couldn’t cash the checks. They’re very vague on information and wouldn’t tell us why we’re not being paid.”

The Zubaids purchased the former Magnuson Hotel on Andy Devine Avenue in 2013 and renovated the property, branding the Canyon 66 Restaurant and Lounge for tourists who come to the Grand Canyon and Route 66. They were facing foreclosure in November after falling behind on mortgage payments and payroll, and were able to extend the loan until March.

Abbas said the Zubaids not only lost their business, but also lost their reputation and dignity in Kingman.

“I’ve dealt with lots of business people in the world and never seen anyone run a business like that,” he said.